Bill-board.



No. 861,109. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

J. M. GOLLER.

BILL BOARD. ,AIPLI-OATION rum: $2214, 1906.

JOHN M. GOLLER, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

BILL-BOARD Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed September 4, 1906. Serial No. 333,126.

To all whom ti may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. GOLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bill-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sign or bill boards, such as are commonly used for displaying advertisements and large posters.

The object of the invention is to provide a portable, comparatively light, inexpensive and durable billboard of this character which is preferably made of metal, and which may be conveniently assembled, disassembled, expanded both longitudinally and transversely, and readily transported from place to place.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction, combination and operative aggroupment of the parts, all as will be more fully described hereinafter,

illustrated in the accompanying drawings and iinally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure l is a perspective View of the bill-board, showing several of the poster receiving panels removed, and embodying all the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line .tx of Fig. 1, showing the upper end of the intermediate upright in section where it pierces the upper end of the frame and its connecting clip. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of one end of the bill-board, showing the arrangement of the end clips relative to the uprights. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the connecting clips. Fig. 5 is a similar view of another of the connecting clips. Fig. 6 is a fragmental view in perspective of the end of one of the frame members, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the poster panels detached.

Making renewed reference to the drawings, 1, designates a base member, which consists of a plank extending transversely in the rear of the bill-board. These planks are arranged at the ends of each frame section, three being shown in the present drawing as constituting a foundation or support for the frame of the billboard.

The frame is composed of a plurality of component frame sections, which may be interlocked, detached and adjusted independently of each other. Each frame section consists of end upright pieces 2, a bottom piece 3, a top piece 4, and upright brace members 5. The bottom pieces 3, arefirst placed upon the base 1, and may be secured thereto in any suitable way, although the securing means for the end upright pieces 2, may also extend through the bottom pieces to hold them in place. The end pieces 2, are connected to the bottom pieces 3, and to the base 1, by screws or bolts 6, which engage angle irons 6, arranged in the bottom corner, formed by the angle of the pieces 2, and 3, as best shown in Fig. 3, there being a screw or bolt to pierce the upward extension of the angle iron and also pierce the upright 2 as shown.

Each of the upright brace members 5, is formed at its lower end with a right angular flange 7, which rests upon the rear angle iron 6, which is secured to the bottom piece 3, by a bolt and nut 7 that pierces the flange 7 of the upright 5, the angle iron 6 and the bottom piece 3; thus securely holding all three members together. The top pieces 4, are interlocked with the tops of the uprights 2 and 5, and adjustably mounted with respect thereto.

The interlocking means for the uprights and top pieces consists of clip members 8 and 9. The clip 8 consists of a sheet metal blank bent into a right angle, with each part provided with inwardly directed lips or hooks 8, as best shown in Fig. 5. The horizontal or inwardly disposed part 8, of this clip is provided with a transverse slot 8 which straddles the upper end of the upright 5; while the vertically disposed part 8 is slipped over the end of the upright 2, with its hooks 8, disposed on the outside thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the top piece 4, which is provided with a longitudinal slot 4, (Fig. 6) to straddle the upright 5, is now slipped into the horizontal part 8, of the clip and is supported therein by the hooks 8 The clip member 9, is utilized to connect adjacent ends of two top pieces 4, to an upright member 5, at a point intermediate the ends of the sign board. This clip member consistsof a flat blank having downwardly and inwardly directed lips or hooks 9, which support the top pieces 4. One of said hooks 9 and the upper flat plate is formed with an opening 9", through which the upright 5, projects.

It will be seen that the top pieces 4, are detachably and adujstably interlocked with the uprights 2 and 5 by virtue of the sliding connection of the clips 8 and 9 (which support said top pieces) with said uprights. The uprights 2 are held against lateral and edgewise movements by being interlocked with the uprights 5, and with the top pieces 4; the uprights 5 are similarly locked, being restrained against movement in the slot 8. The uprights 5 are preferably braced by a bar 10, which extends longitudinally of the sign board, as

shown.

The means for raising and lowering the clip members 8 and 9, so as to increase the space for the panels, consists of an extensible member 11, having one end secured to the base 1, as at 12, and other ends connected with the clips by means of a nut and bolt 13. This extensible member may have a turn buckle 14, there on, so that by turning the buckle and extension or contraction of the member will occur and raise or lower the clip members and the top pieces 4, mounted therein, thereby increasing the height of the sign board and permitting panels of different width to be used.

The panel 15, consists of wooden-frames 16, on which is secured a metallic backing for the advertisingmatter. The panels are held in the frame by flanges on the upper and lower pieces; these flanges may be integral with the pieces, as shown at the top in Fig. 2, wherein the top piece 4 is formed of a single piece of sheet metal bent upon itself at its side edges and then extended downwardly to form the flanges 17, between which the upper edges of the panel fit. When, however, these retaining pieces are separate, they are secured to the top and bottom pieces 3 and 4 by bolts and nuts 18. These separate retaining pieces or guides are designated 19, and consist of a strip of sheet metal bent at right angles longitudinally so as to provide an upwardly extending flange upon each side of the panels and a horizontally disposed flange to be secured to the frame pieces. Preferably the end of the horizontal portion is cut away to provide a space for the angle irons, 6, as shown in Fig. 1. mediate upright 5, may rest upon one of these guide strips, as shown in Fig. '2, and the bolt which holds the lower end of the upright 5, may also pierce the guide strip.

It will be obvious that a bill-board constructed in accordance with this invention will fill all the requirements for rapidly disassembling, transporting, re-assembling and inter-changeability of panels, and that it can be extended longitudinally indefinitely by simply adding the intermediate sections, the ends being spread apart. The frame can also be adjusted to take different size bill-boards; and no destruction is wrought by driving nails or screws, as in the case with wooden billboards, the fastening devices of the present device The flange 7, of the inter- 1. A bill board comprising a frame, panels detachably mounted within the frame, means for adjusting the top piece of the frame for ditferent size panels, and an adjustable brace supporting the top piece ,in its adjusted position.

2. A bill-board comprising a frame composed of a series of alining sections, a panel in each section, and means whereby each section may be adjusted in size simultaneously to accommodate panels of different sizes.

3. A bill-board comprising a frame provided with top, bottom and end pieces and upright brace-members, means for detachably and adjustably interlocking the end and top pieces and the upright brace-members, and panels mounted in the frame.

4. A bill-board comprising a frame, means for detachably interlocking the parts of the frame, means for adjusting said interlocking means and theframe, and panels supported in the frame.

5. In a portable bill-board a frame comprising'a bottom piece, an end piece, a top piece and an upright brace member, and a clip member having a detachable engagement with the top and end pieces and the .upright brace member and serving as an interlocking connection therefor, and panels mounted in the frame.

G. A bill-board comprising a frame composed of a series of alining sections, a panel in each section, means whereby each section may be adjusted in size simultaneously to accommodate panels of different sizes, and adjustable braces supporting the tops of the alining frames in their adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Jenn M. GOLLER.

Witnesses Gnonen Onrscrr, FLOY AL'rMAN. 

